-Alhaji Adamu Funtua, a Funtua-based irrigation expert

fertiliser should be applied at six weeks after transplanting.

He explained that in order to effectively manage pest and disease attacks, insecticides and fungicides application should start six weeks after transplanting, that is at the onset of flowering and should be done biweekly.

Some of the chemicals Dr Shero recommended include Cypermethrin and demethioete, Tihan (broadspectrum) and Confidor.

The expert however observed that pest and disease control could start earlier depending on observation by the farmer.

Another expert, Bashir Ahmad-Babaji, a Professor of Horticulture at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) ABU, called for research on heat-tolerant tomato varieties, to lessen tomato scarcity in the country during the wet season.

The professor, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria in Kaduna, noted that more research will address the shortages.

All-year-round means more farmers

farming money for

If these heat-tolerant varieties are upscaled in the country, that will create more opportunities for farmers to make more money all-yearround.

At the beginning of every wet season, Nigeria experiences shortage of tomato because production is mostly in the dry season.

At the moment, even with the advancing rainy season, disease is already threatening the availability of the produce in the market; and this will further heighten fear as the Ramadan fasting period approaches. This however means more money for farmers in states like Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Kebbi and some other northern states where rainfall will take more weeks before it sets in. More production can still be done in these states unlike other states where the rain has started, which traditionally halts tomato production.

At present, the price of the

commodity has started rising. In Kebbi State for example, a sizable basket of tomato that sold for less the N2,500 some weeks ago has risen to about N6,500.

Sahabi Bunza, one of the farmers, who spoke to our correspondent on why tomato is scarce in the state even before the commencement of the rainy season, observed that only few farmers in the state were into tomato farming. “I think what is responsible for the scarcity and increase in tomato price is the shortage in its supply. We don’t farm tomato in large quantity in Kebbi State,” he said.

The price of tomato has also gone up in Katsina State and a cross-section of residents of the state who spoke with one of our reporters expressed fear that the situation would be compounded as the annual Ramadan fasting would soon commence.

A resident of Funtua, Umar Sani, said that demand for the produce also increases during the fasting and Sallah periods because people prefer variety of dishes and as well cook in large quantities for the less privileged.

An irrigation farmer, Alhaji Isiya Danja, said unbearable hot climate, pest attacks and drying up of water sources were the main reasons for fresh tomato shortage from end of March to early July.

But an irrigation expert, Alhaji Adamu Funtua, did not entirely agree with this claim, saying many farmers in Katsina were either scared of cultivating tomato during the rainy season or preferred to farm cereal crops.

“Many of the farmers lack potential on the basic steps to cultivate tomato during the rainy season. They always attribute their failure to the acidity of the rain water not knowing that the choice of the tomato seed variety is sacrosanct,” he said.

In Sokoto State, the price of tomato has risen from N5,000 to N7,000 per basket in recent weeks.

The state deputy chairman, Tomatoes Sellers Association, Alhaji Shehu Mani, told one of our reporters that before the rainy season, supply of tomatoes dropped and prices are higher because of the scarcity.

“Last two weeks, the harvested tomatoes was sold at N4,000 to N5,000 per basket while damaged ones went for N2,500–N3,000 but now it is being sold at between N5,000 and N7,000 while damaged ones are sold for N3,000 to N4,000,” he disclosed,

Mani explained: “During the hot season, the price continues to rise because the supply is not much. It could be sold at N6,000 today but tomorrow, the price could jump to N7,000 – N8,000.”

He said when it becomes very difficult to grow tomatoes in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, they go to Niger Republic for the produce.